An Essex County, New Jersey, man is accused of driving a school bus while intoxicated with 25 juveniles on board and crashing into a median along Interstate 80.
Pierre R. Tranquilus, 47, of the 100 block of South Center Street in East Orange is charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child; third-degree endangering another person; and fourth-degree assault by auto, as well as summonses for possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle and driving while intoxicated.
Tranquilus has since had his first appearance at Warren County Superior Court in New Jersey on the charges. He currently is incarcerated at the Warren County jail.
The incident began shortly after 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Tranquilus was in charge of driving children from an educational institution to a sporting event, court records say.
New Jersey State Police troopers with the Hope barracks found the disabled school bus along Interstate 80 west, mile marker 3.0, in Knowlton Township. The bus was crashed into a concrete center median, court records state.
The bus was stopped in the left lane with heavy front end damage, state police said. A total of 25 juveniles and two adults were on board, and one person was injured, according to state police.
A condition on the person was not immediately available Tuesday afternoon, however, court records indicate the injury was minor.
Tranquilus showed visible signs of impairment, including “slowed speech, bloodshot eyes, and strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath,” according to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by lehighvalleylive.com in an Open Public Records Act request. The court record lays out evidence and witness testimony against a defendant.
Tranquilus was unable to pass standard field sobriety tests, state police said. A trooper found an open bottle of beer placed behind the front passenger side tire, court records state.
Tranquilus allegedly refused to tell investigators how much alcohol he consumed that day. He was then arrested by state police.
All the occupants of the bus were then transported away from the scene by a different bus, police said.
Upon conviction, second-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years; third-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of five years; and fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 18 months in state prison.